Method of and apparatus for soldering



lMETHOD OF AND APPARATUS OR SOLDERING LTUHN E DDMD WAZ, FRANK. MAL L D Y,

BY A

May 10, 1932. v.L F. DONOVAN ETAL METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SOLDERlNG Filed June 25, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VBI@ :PURE

IFE/Eg TUANE Y,

Filed June 25. 19:50

'4 sheets-sheet 5 INVIENTDRS "JDMVF DUNDVAAZ,

.TH-EJB ATTDHNEY.

May 10, 1932. J. F. DoNovAN ET AL METHOD OF NDAPPARATUS FOR SOLDERINGr` J. F. DONOVAN x-:T Al.- METHOD 0F AND APPARATUS FOR SOLDERING May 10, 1 932.

lFiled June 25, 1930 4 SheetsfSheet 4 Patented JMay 1G, 1932 UNITED s'rn'ras-l JOHN F. DONOVAN, OF EAST CLEVELAND,

PATENT OFFICE AND FRANK J. MALLOY, F CLEVELAND,A

OHIO, ASSIGNORS TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION lOll NEW L YORK METHOD OF AND 'APPARATUS FOR SOLDERING Application led June 25,

I Our invention relates to methods of and apparatus for trimming and unitin lead wires to the hollow pins comprised y the thereof, are successively presented to wiretrlmmlng mechanlsms and are then inverted and the ends of the said pins dipped in molten solder. Various features and advantages of our invention will appear from the description which follows of a specific embodiment thereof and from the accompanying drawings. Among these features are the adjusting means to accommodate the various sizes of based articles, the means for locating the articles definitely with reference to the wiretrimming means Aand the adjusting means therefor, the mechanism for applying flux, the mechanism for dipping into the solder and the adjustments therefor, and the means for periodically removing scum from the solder.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a plan view of the machine of our invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation partially in section thereofrFig. 3 is a vertical section along the line3-3 of Fig. 1 Aand a head of the machine to which this machine is" coupled; Fig. 4 is a horizontal section along the line 4- 4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the transfer arm; Fig. A6 is a horizontal section alng the line 6--6 of F-ig. 5'; Fig. 7 is an end elevation of the transfer head; Fig. 8 is a vertical section'along the line 8-8 of Fig. 1 j' and Fig. 9' i's a perspective view of the solder scumming mechanism.v Y

i The machine of our invention, as shown in the drawings, is driven from and operates in connection with a basing reel which consists' three times alternately at separate positions 1980. serial No. 468,780.

of a large number of heads (forty-eight) arranged about the edge of an intermittently indexed turret. Each of these heads carries, for instance, a vacuum tube through positions in which its base is acted upon by wiretrimming mechanisms and inally'to a position where it is removed from the basing reel head and placed in a soldering machine. The -vacuum tube consists of the tube 10 whose leading-in wires 11 project through the hollow pins 12 of the base 13 which -is cemented to the tube. As the machine indexes, a motor-driven knife 14. swings over the base cutting oif as much of the protruding leading-in wires 11 -as possible without injuring the base pins 12. The remaining protrudingwire is ground oi by the motordriven grinding wheel 15' which swings over the tube farther around the basing machine. The soldering of 'the leading-in wires to the lili of the machine and a transfer arm takes the tube from the basing reel head, and places it in an intermittently indexed turret. Soldering and fluxing are .each accomplished by a vertical movement of this turret which allows the pins to dip alternately in flux an in molten solder.

All sections of the soldering machine are operated from cams (Fig. 2) upon the main cam shaft 16 or the-vertical cam.- shaft 17. The former is driven from the basing maf chine'by the link belt 18 acting through the sprocket 19 andfthe latter is driven from the 'main cam shaft by means of the bevel gears 20 and 21. The main shaft 16 runs longitudinally through the lower part of the legs 22, 23, and 24, and the vertical shaft is held u right by the bracket 25, large support brac et 26 and bracket 27 whichgrips the upper en d of the shaft and is only partially shown in Fig. 1. Vertical movement of the shaft is controlled b y the collar 28 and the bevel gear. 21.

iAt all'positions about the basing reel at which our machine acts, the jaws 29 and 30 the cup 31, which is fastened to the rod 33, is created by the spring 34 acting between the stationary basing head bracket 35 and the block36 fastened to the rod 33. The spring allows the tube to be lowered by the lingers 37 and 38 (Fig. 4) to accurately position the base vertically, A means for positioning the base horizontally is provided by the levers 39 and 40 each of whose ends presses against and holds a base against the curved portion of an arm 32. The vertical positioning lingers 37 and 38 are attached to the slides 41 and 42 which are reciprocated vertically in their on pin 53. There are two duplicate vertical positioning mechanisms, one being at the wire-cutting and the other at the wire-grinding position.

Each of the vertical positioning mechanisms is adjustable to allow for variations `in the cutting and grinding means as Well as in the article treated. Such adjustment means are shown for finger 37 and comprise the scr/ew 54 which engages the arm 55 movable in casing 56 lcarrying pin 57 which is engaged by the forked end of lever 39. An

indicating pointer 58 and collar 59 are carried by said screw and a cap for casing 56 provides the necessary bearing.

As indicated above, the bases are held in position horizontally when in the pulleddown position bythe levers 39 and 40 (Fig. 4) the ends of which press them against arms 32 during the cutting and grinding operations. These levers are of the first class and pivot on the pins62 and 63 respectively and their opposite ends are pivoted through pins 64 to rods 68 extending through the machine frame and surrounded by springs 66 held betweensaid frame and washers 67 on said rods. These springs tend to keep the levers pressed against their respective bases. The lever ends are retracted from the bases by a movement of rod 69 which engagesthe lever 70 actuated by a cam which, as hereinafter eX- plained, swings the lcutting and grinding mechanisms into operative position. i" Ihe said movement compresses the spring 66-and this causes the end of rod 69 to return to its former position when the said cam permits to be again' which'grip the glass bulbV portion of the article, i. e., the upper set 110 and 111 and the.

it to do so and the lever ends pressed against the bases.

The motor 72 of the circular leading-in wire cutter 14 is bolted to the bracket 73 which swings from the shaft 74 in the support bracket 7 5. This combination allows the cutter 14 which is eccentrically mounted with reference to the pin 76 to be carried out over the base pins whenever the support bracket is turned on the plate 77 about the pin 76. The cutter 14 is attached to the motor shaft 7 8 by a clamp comprising plates 79 and 80. For added rigidity the plate 80 is allowed to bear against the ball bearing race 81 in the support bracket 75. In the grindnisms comprises the similar rods 86 and 87 attached to the brackets 75 and 85 by the pins 88 and 89 respectively and the said rods are actuated through the lever 70 above referred to. As the'lever 70 moves to the right (Fig. 1) toswing the cutter and grinder out over the bases, the cylindrical block 90 through which the rods 86 and 87 pass, presses against the collars 91 which in turn press againstthe coil springs 92 and the nuts 93 upon the ends of the rods. On the return movement the block 90 presses against the collars 94 and the nuts 95. The lever 70 is operated (Fig. 3) about the spindle 96 in the support bracket 97 by the cam lever 98 which is connected to it by the block slide 99. The cam lever 98 4swings from the pin 100 also in thesupport bracket 9 7 and is actuated by the cam 101 having a slot in which the roller 102 rides.

After passing the cutting and grinding positions the based article is carried step by step to a transfer position where an arm takes it from the basing reel head and transfers it to asocket in the turret of the soldering portion of our machine. The article is released from the basi-ng reel head aftery the transfer jaws have gripped it by the downward motion of arm 103 which engages the end of block 36' (Fig. 3) thus pulling the cup 31 down from the article. The arm 103 is fastened to'and is operated by the rod 104 which is reciprocated vertically inthe bracket 105 projecting from the machine frame by the .cam lever 106. The said lever 106 connects through a link (not's'hown) tothe rod 104 and is rocked about the pin 107 in the bracket 108 by the engagement, of its cam roller (not shown) with the cam 109 (Fig 2) on the main cam shaft. The article is now only held within the jaws of the transfer' head shown in Figs.'5, 6, and 7. The two sets of jaws lower set 112 and 113, loperateabout bosses on the spacer blocks 114 and 115. To close the jaws, the pins 116 are'pushed upon by the j edge ofthe slot in the ends of the transfer jaws. The arms 118 and 119 are fastened to the shafts 122 and 123 which aresupported by the transfer head body 4124 and attached to `the gears 125 and 126. These gears mesh with each other and one of them 125 meshes with rack 127 cut into the transfer arm core rod 128 which by its longitudinal movement rotates the shaft 122 and consequently operates the transfer jaws. )Vith the jaws closed, the collar '129 is against .the transfer head body 124 and the core rod 128 at its maximum position to the right as produced by the spring 130 which is acting upon the block 131 on the core rods end. The jaws are opened by the pressing of the arm 132 (Fig. 1) against the roller 133 riding upon the pin 134 in the block 131, thus moving the core to the left. The arm 132 rides upon thetop end of the spindle 135 which passes through the table (Fig. 2) to the cam operated arm 136. lnthis wa y the jaws are opened by the cam 137 upon the vertical cam shaft 17 which is engaged by the roller upon the arms end. )Vhen gripped by the transfer head jaws, the article is held in the proper position by the flat ended rod 138 which is backed by the spring 1.39 and which slides free in the transfer head body 124.

' The-article now held in the`transfer head is carried from its position within the basing reel head to a position before the soldering turret 140. Here the transfer head revolves through 18()o placing the article base down in the'basing turret. The transfer arm mechanism consists of the inner tubing 141 to which the transfer head is fastenedand theouter tubing 142 which is fastened to the support 143., This support 143 is fastened to the boss 144 which is attached to the cam operated vertical shaft. 145 and which is free to rotate about on the washer 146. l TheV shaft 145 (Fig. 2) by which thel entire mechanism is turned, is turned by thearm 147 whose roller 148 engages the cam 14S) upon the main cam shaft. The bracket 150 bolted to table leg 22 serves as a supporting mea-ns for the sha ft which acts as a guide for the grcoved collar 151. .The extending portion of the transfer arm is supported by the bracket 152 (Fig. 1)

which ext-ends from the machine table and on which the roller 153 rides. This roller (Fig. 5) operates freely about the bushing 154 upon the transfer arm, and between the bushing collar and the stationary collar 155. The mechanism used to invert the transfer head acts upon inner tube 141 to which the transfer head is attached. Thetube has attached to it the gear 156 which is rotated bythe vertical motion of the rack 157 with which it meshes. A slot in the support 143 accommodates the rack whose lower end 158 passes down through kthe boss 1 44 and the flange of support 143 to the collar 151.- As shown in Fig. 2, the cam 159 upon the vertical shaft 17 actuates this colla-r 151 by means of the arm 160. The arm is operated about` the pin 161v in table leg- 23 by the engagement of roller 162 into cam 159 and operates the collar 151 bymeans of the pin 163 whose oblong portion 164 engages the slot in the collar. To more accurately govern the amount of rotationof the transfer head, a stop jpin 165 (Fig. 5) in the transfer head is met by the projection 166 of the collar which is clampedto the stationary outer tubing 142. The article has now been transferred to the soldering turret i'n' which it -restsbase ydown and the transfer mechanism has but to return to the basing reel head to have completed al cycle of operac tion.;

The turret .140 is intermittently. indexed and performs during each rest period a series of vertical` oscillatlons. These oscillations constitute a lowering ofthe turret so that the base contacts .are immersed in the solder or flux, and ya series (three) of short raisings and lowerings which dip the base' pins into the' solder or flux a number of times before it is raised to its former position. `The turret turns counter-clockwise; as viewed from the top, and is partially surrounded by the circular band 17 0. upon the stationary mounted posts 171, which locks the article into the turret. The turret 140 is clamped about the hollow center shaft 173 (Figs. 2.and 8) which is acted upon by the collar 174 for the vertical operating `means and by the cam wheel 175 for the rotating means. The cam wheel 175 is connected to the hollow center shaft 173 by the key 176 and 'has a number of rollers 177 mounted about its periphery which correspond in number to the positions in the turret and which are engaged by the indexing cam (Fig. 2)I on the main cam shaft. The'greatei lpart 17 8' of this cam is a flat wheel which fits snugly between any pair of rollers 17 7,tl1us holding the turret in a definite positionduring the rest period. The other section 179 of .the cam is1 the indexing section which grips the preceding roller on both sides and because of its curved form, indexes the cam wheel one roller. Support for the cam wheel 175 is furnished by the bracket: 180 which is bolted to the bottom side of the machine table. All contact between the bracket and the wheel is covered by the bushing 181 and thew-ashers 182 and 183. The supporting means cenrod 202.

washer 184 whose tongue' rides in a slot in the wheel. The two collars 185 upon the threaded upper portion of the cam wheel act as a stop for the colla-r 174 which is bolted directly to the center shaft 173 and through which the vertical moving means operates. The pins 186 in the arm 187 act upon the flange 188 of the collar 174 as, the arm is moved by the shaft 189 to which it is' fastened. This shaft 189, which rides in the bracket 190 bolted to the bottom of the machine table, is turned by the arm 191 which is actuated indirectly by the cam 192 or the main cam shaft. Connection between the roller 193 which rides over the cam edge and the arm 191 is produced by the link 194 and the pins 195 and 196.- To keep the roller 193 at the proper' position upon the cam e'dge, the arm 197 which swings from the pin 198 in the stationary support 199 is used. This combination enables the cam 192 ,to actuate vertically the hollow center tube 173 and consequently the turret. 140.

The article already placed in the turret at position X (Fig. 1) goes through the various motions of the turret which moves both vertically and horizontally as already described, until at position Y it is removed from the machine. During the circuit the base contacts are fluxedat thepositions covered by the three arms of the hold down bracket 200.

The bracket is held over the. correct positions by the extension 201 (Fig. 2) ot one of the.

arms which is free t slide vertically on the The flared-out portion of the rods 203 which ride in the wells in the arms and are backed by the springs 204, are pressed against the top of the article by the downward movementvot the bracket which occurs directly after the indexing of the turret.

The nuts 205 on the threaded portion of the` rod 203 limit the movement of the rod and keep the spring 204 confined at times when the article is not against the end of the rod. i

The bracket is clamped to the hollow tube 206 which is attached to the core rod 207 and which is operated from-the cam 208 (Fig. 8) by the arm 209. This arm 209 is operated about the pin 198 in the stationary support 199 by the roller210 `in the ways of the cam 208. The pin 211 in the end of the arm works in the transverse slot of the block 212 which is 'attached to the core rod 207 and the hollow tube `206 by the taper pins 214. By turning knob 215 the position of the bracket upon the hollow tube 206 is regulated as the knob 215 (Fig. 2) bears against the cap 216 attached to the bracket and is also fastened to the threaded rod 217. The movement will correspond to the ampunt of rod screwed in or out of the bushing'218 and the core rod 207. The bracket follows all moveoperation. The fiuxing, which takes place at' these positions, consists of the pressing of the tube pins intothe spring rubber 219 containing the flux. The rotary motion of the turret rotates the hollowed out iiux containing against the washer 224 which separates .the

gear and the bushing. After the fluxing has been completed, the turret is indexed one position bringing the article over the solder pot 225 (Fig. 8). The vertical motion of the turret which has so far iiuxed the base pins is now used to dip them in the molten solder in the soldering pot. The pot 225, supported from the machine table by the bracket 226 on which there is a thickness of a heat insulating material 226', may be heated by a gas flame from the pipe 227 or from the heat generated by an electrical heating unit placed in the passage 228. The solder level in each of the three pots is kept at a single level by the channels 229 (Fig. 1). which donnect each of the pots. Beforethe pins are allowed to dip into the solder, the solder is scummed by an arm which draws the scum into the trough 230 from whichit travels by means of the pipe 231 to a suitable refuse container.- The scumming mechanisms (Fig. 1) are operated from cam 232 on the vertical cam shaft 17 which engages roller 233 oil the pin.234 in the arm 235. This arm 235 operates about the stationfary mounted pin 236 and connects with the scumming mechanism by the bar 237. Similar bars 238 and 239 connect the levers 240 of the first, second, and third scumming mechanisms which are exact duplicates.

One of these mechanisms is shown in Fig. 9

at its rest position which occurs while the endl into the solder, the notched lever 247 which is fastened to the shaft 246 is turned through a few degrees by the screw 248 which "it hits on the latter part of the blocks movement. The arm 243 is kept in this position during the return movement of the block by the latch 249 whose upper end'engages the notch in lever 247. This action is created by the spring 250 which turns the latch 249 about upon pin 251 which also fastens it to the block 242. The return movement of the the screw 252 in the stationary bracket 213 andis forced out of the notch in the lever 247, thus allowing the lever 247 to turn free until it strikes the stop screw 253. This action raises the scumming arm and completes one cycle of operation of the scummng mechanism. i

The various operations of this machine upon the article have now been completed and 15 the article has but to be removed from position Y of the turret by hand or by the mechanism next described. The hook 255 in the end of arm 256 pushes the article out when the arm is turned about on the ypin 257 in the table, by the bar 258 which is attached to it .by the pin 259. The bar is actuated by arm 260 which is operated about on the pin 261 by the cam 262 on the cam sha1l t. Connection between the arm 260 and the bar 258 is by thel pin 263 and the connection between the arm 260 and the cam 262 is by the roller 264 upon the pin 265. y

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. The method of uniting lead wires to base pins which consists in successively presenting assemblies comprising a base having longitudinally extending hollow pins projecting upwardly therefrom and lead wires projecting through said pins to mechanisms for trimming olf the ends of said wires and then successively inverting said assemblies and lowering them to cause the ends of'said pins to be immersed in a bath of solder.

2. The method of unitingleading wires to base pins which consists in .successively presenting assemblies comprising a base having longitudinally extending hollow pins proj ecting upwardly therefrom and lead wires projecting through said pins to mechanisms for cutting off and grinding down the ends of said wires to bring them flush vwith the ,ends of said pins and then successively inverting said assemblies and lowering them to cause the ends of said pins to be immersed in a bath of solder. Y

3. lIn a basing machine, the combination-of a rotary carrier'having thereon a lurality of heads adapted to receive anassem ly comrising a bulb or similar container having a ase mounted thereon comprising hollow pins and lead wires projecting through said pins, wire trimming devices movably mounted adjacent to the saidcarrier and means for moving the same periodically into operative relation to the ends of said pins and means for definitely locating each assembly with reference to the operative position of said trimming means.

4. In a basing machine, the combination of a rotary carrier having thereon a plurality of 'heads ada ted to receive an assembly comprising a bul or similar container having a base mounted thereon comprising hollow pins and lead wires projecting through said pins, wire trimming devices movably mounted adjacent the said carrier and means for moving the same periodically into operative relation to the ends of said pins, means for definitely locating each assembly with reference to the operative position of said trimming means, and means for adjusting said locating means.

5. In a basing machine,.the combination of a movable carrier comprising a plurality of heads each adapted to support an assembly comprising a base provided with hollow pins and lead wires projecting through said pins,

means for moving said carrier, a cutter disposed adjacent the path of travel of said base pins, means for moving said cutter across the top of said pins, and mechanism whereby the movements of said cutter are caused to be in proper time relation to that of said carrier.

6. In a basing machine, the combination of a movable carrier comprising a plurality of heads each adapted to support an assembly comprising a base provided with hollow pins and lead wires projecting through said pins, means for moving said carrier, a rotary cutter and a motor therefor and a bracket supporting said cutterand motor means for moving said bracket to move said cutter in the plane of the tops of said pins into engagement with said projecting lead wires and mechanism whereby the movements of said bracket are caused to be in proper time relation to `that of the said carrier.

7. In a basing machine, the combination of a movable carrler comprising a plurality of heads each adapted to support an assembly comprising a basel provided with hollow pins and lead wires projecting through said pins, means vfor movin said carrier, a movable grinder, a motor t erefor and a bracket supporting saidv rinder and motor, means for moving said racket to move said grinder into engagement with said projecting lead wires and'mechanism whereby the movements of said bracket are caused to bein proper time relation to that of said carrier.

8. In a basefinishing machine, the combil nation of a movable carrier comprising a plurality of heads each adapted to su port an assembly comprising a base provide with hollow pins and lead wires projecting through said pins, means disposed adjacent the'path of travel of said pins for trimming said lead wires, a soldering apparatus comprising a carrier having thereon a plurality of holders cach adapted to receive one of said assemblies, mechanism adapted to transfer each assembly from said first mentioned to said second mentioned carrier, and mechanism whereby the movements of said carriers and said transfer mechanism are caused to be in proper time relation to each other.

9. In a basing machine, the combinationof a movable carrler comprising a plurality of holders each adapted to suiport an assembly comprising al base provide with hollow pins and lead wires proJecting through said pins,

means for movin said carrier, a rotary cutv ter, a motor there 'or and a bracket supporting said cutter and motor mounted adjacent the v path of travel of said carrier, a rotary grinder, a motor therefor and a supporting bracket for said grinder and motor mounted next to said cutter mechanism, means for moving said brackets simultaneously to cause said cutter and grinder to act simultaneously upon the lead wires of successive assemblies and mechanism whereby the movements of said brackets are caused to be in proper time relation to that of said carrier.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands this 23rd day of June, 1930. 

